About six Months after this, the English Consul at Algier, having Business at our Town, and caming with two other young Gentlemen to see if we had any Ships upon the Stocks, one of my Comrades happen'd just at that time to call out to me to lend him a helping Hand to remove a Mast he was then at work upon, when Mr. Elliot, who heard me call'd by the Name of Massey, came up to me and ask'd me What Countryman I was? I told him. There's a good Friend of mine, said he, a Silkman at London, who is your Countryman, and his Name is John Massey. I know very well, said I, that I left a Brother of that Name behind me, six Years younger than me, but it being now fifty Years ago, and having not heard from my Family ever since, nor they probably from me, 'tis impossible I can be certain whether that's the Man. What you now say, reply'd the Consul, makes me believe you are Brothers, for my Friend can't be less than sixty Years of Age, and he has often talk'd to me of a Brother that he very much lamented, who he suppos'd had been a long time dead. Thereupon I was forc'd to tell him in a few Words, by what Misfortune I became a Slave in Africa, and he made an Offer to write to my Brother, to desire him to find out some Expedient to procure my Deliverance in my old Age. I then declar'd to him in Confidence that I had Money. If so, said he, I'll find Ways and Means to set you at Liberty, but you must not make any shew of your Substance; Leave every thing; to my Management, and don't you meddle or make. Farewel. I kiss'd his Hand, and recommended myself to his Favour.
About a Month after, my Master, to my very great Surprize, call'd me to him, and taking me by the Hand, said, I am overjoy'd, Friend, that you are going to return to your own Country. Mr. Elliot has bargain'd with me for your Ransom. Go to Algier and meet him. I wish you a good Voyage. At these Words I embrac'd him, and thank'd him for his Civilities, and the Regard he had always shewn to me from the very first Day of my Arrival. We both shed Tears at parting as if we had been Brothers. From thence I went to take Leave of my Comrades, and then set out for Algier, where the Consul receiv'd me with extraordinary Courtesy. I told him down thirty five Guineas, which, he said; he was to pay for my Liberty, but had it not been for his Credit and my Age, such a trifling Sum wou'd not have, set me free.
CHAP. XVI.
Continuation of the Adventures of Peter Hudde who is mention'd in the second Chapter; and the Author's Arrival at London.
I stay'd above a Month at Algier before I embark'd for London, during which it happen'd that a Turkish Pirate brought a French Galley into Algier. Mr. Elliot immediately obtain'd a List of her Crew in order to see whether there was not the Name of some Person that he knew, or of some Countryman of his in the Number of her Slaves. He caus'd it to be read in my Presence, and seem'd astonish'd to find the Name of a Man there whom he was very intimate with at London. I was as much surpriz'd at the Name of Peter Hudde, which he observ'd, and ask'd me the Reason. To satisfy his Curiosity, I gave him an Account of him, after which we went together to the Place where the Galley-Slaves were confin'd. As soon as we arriv'd there, we both inquir'd for our Men. His Friend had been wounded in Battle, and expir'd not above a Quarter of an Hour before we came: The other came in an Instant. Is your Name Peter Hudde? said I, Yes, said he; Did I never see you at Lisbon, continued I; That might be, said he, but it must have been a great while ago then. That's true, said I, for it was, if I am not mistaken, so long ago as 1643 or 1644. There was one Van Dyke at that Time, a Factor, did you know him? You turn pale, but you are in no Danger here; tho' indeed it must be confess'd that you play'd him a scurvy Trick. I cannot deny it, said the Galley-Slave, I was the Man that robb'd him of the Sum of 300 Ducats; for which enormous Sin and others that I have committed, I beg God to forgive me. I have smarted sufficiently for it in this World, but I hope he will be merciful to me in the next. That's speaking like a Christian, said I, and 'tis a Happiness for you that Providence does you the Favour to put you upon Repentance of your Crimes. But pray tell me, why and when you were condemn'd to the Gallies. The Remembrance of it, Sir, said he, makes me tremble, and I wish you would excuse me from so unpleasant a Narrative which can only tend to renew my Sorrow. We commended him for the good Disposition of his Mind, and then I insisted upon my Demand, in which I was seconded by the Consul. Well then, Gentlemen, said he, I will satisfy you, as well to give you Proofs of my Obedience, as to acknowledge the just Punishment of my Crimes.
After I had robb'd Mr. Van Dyke, I embark'd for Nantes, where by the Name of Vander Stel, and pretending to be Nephew to a famous Wine-Merchant at Rotterdam, I soon contracted an Acquaintance with all the Dutch Merchants there. The Caresses which I received from those honest People are inexpressible; for there was scarce a Day but I was invited to magnificent Entertainments at one or other of their Houses. During this an Intendant arriv'd from Languedoc who was well known to several of those Gentlemen whose Houses I frequented. This gave me an Opportunity to scrape an Acquaintance with him. He was glad to see me, and as he delighted in Gaming he was rejoyc'd to find me in the same Disposition. Sometimes we play'd a Game at Chess, and we spent many Afternoons at Picquet, but never so as to win much of either. At length as I went one Day to see him, I had the Happiness to find him alone in his Room uneasy for want of some Company to pass the Time with. He call'd for the Cards, and we play'd at Ombre. He was a Dab at that Game, but I was too cunning for him. Whatever was his Design, 'tis certain that he encourag'd me to drink more than usual, at which I was not a little pleas'd because I imagin'd that when he had drank his Skin full of Wine, it would prevent him from discovering my foul Play. In short, I won 50 Pistoles of him in less than four Hours Time, at which he seem'd astonish'd, and desir'd I would give him Revenge at Lansquenet; which was the very Thing I wanted. However, I pretended not to understand that Game very well, and told him, that unless Fortune favour'd me as she had done before, it was impossible but I should lose my Money and my Breeches too. Now my Adversary began to lose Patience. We play'd high, and tho' I let him win now and then in order to keep him in Temper, yet about Midnight when we left off, I had won above 3000 Crowns of him, which he told me down two Days after in ready Cash. This Luck made me wonderful rich. I sew'd 500 Ducats in a Piece of Shammy Leather of which I made a Belt and wore if under my Shirt, and then I set out for Avignon, the Intendant going out of the Town at the same Time another Way. Upon the Road I hir'd a Footman, and resum'd my old Name of Heudde.
My expensive Way of living at this new Stage made every body believe that I was a Person of the first Rank, I made no Scruple to introduce myself into the best of Companies, and they took a Pride in mine. After I had been there about Fortnight or three Weeks, I happened to meet a Wench in the Street of about twenty Years of Age the finest Beauty I had ever seen in all my Life. I let her pass me, and when she was fifty Paces behind me I turn'd back and follow'd her at a Distance 'till she went into a House. Upon this I order'd my Footman to inquire privately if she dwelt there, and what her Parents were. He brought me an Account of every particular, and told me that her Father was a Jew Merchant who dealt largely in jewels. I went next Day to his House on Pretence that I wanted a small Diamond of 25 or 30 Pistoles, and in order to settle a closer Correspondence with him, I told him my Name and Country. To this I added that I knew several Jews at Amsterdam, and mention'd some to him whom he knew. In fine, I left no Stone unturn'd to induce him to give me Admittance to his House, without speaking a Word to him either of Wife or Daughter. This first Visit succeeded so well that I attempted to make a second. I actually bought a Ring by which the Usurer could not get less than one third, but that was no great Matter. The Hopes of more considerable Gain tempted: him to invite me often to his House. I did not fail to improve his Civility, and made Preparation to treat him now and then at my Quarters.
Every thing went swimmingly, but I did not see that it advanc'd my Design, so that I concluded I must take another Course. As I was musing what to do, it luckily happen'd that at our very first Interview he was accompany'd with another Jew. I drew them by degrees to talk of the Difference of Religions, which engag'd us in a Dispute. I pretended that 'till then I did not know the Force of their Arguments, and the Weakness of ours, with regard to the Messiah. The Hopes of making a Proselyte, induc'd them to desire that we might meet as often as possible in order to have an Opportunity to treat the matter thoroughly. Thereupon I deny'd that I might be present at their public Worship. They open'd the Doors of their Synagogue to me with Joy, I caus'd myself to be instructed in their Religion, and at last being convinc'd of my Errors by the Truth of their Principles, they circumcis'd me, and I became a Jew. As soon as this was done, I was solemnly initiated into all their Mysteries, I ran thro' all their Ceremonies, and the Fair Sex who thought me a Saint, caress'd and honour'd me as well as the Men. As for my part there was no Complaisance which I did not put in Practice to them, especially I carry'd it with such a Respect to the fair Jewels as was not disagreeable to her. Besides, I often made her small Presents which she receiv'd with Pleasure, and which her Mother did not dislike, but the Father who was covetous, tho' he had a vast Fortune to give with this only Daughter, frown'd at this little Intercourse of Civilities.
Mean time, I cut a grand Figure but yet without running into Extravagance: He was surpriz'd at my way of Living, mad to know what Bottom I had to support it, and made Inquiry every where but could not hear the least Tidings. When I saw that, I sent my Footman to a Friend of mine a Jew Goldsmith to buy a couple of Crucibles, and not to speak a Word of it to any Body. The Jeweller it seems frequented that House, so that three Days after, my Footman was perfectly surpriz'd, when going to my Friend the Goldsmith's House, to know if he was at Leisure to receive me, the Jeweller took him apart into a Room, treated him with a Glass of his best Wine, and talking about Crucibles, ask'd him slily what I meant to do with mine. My Boy, whom I had tutor'd beforehand, pretended at first to be ignorant of the matter in order to make him think there was some Mystery in it: At last after a great many Questions on one hand, and swearing on the other that his Master would break his Neck if he reveal'd it to any Body, he told it him as a Secret that was to remain so for ever betwixt them two, that I made use of it to increase Gold, and that I was one of the best Chymists in Europe. This which he thought an ingenuous Confession, and not improbable, had its desir'd Effect. Mascado, which was the Jeweller's Name, was overjoy'd he had discover'd this, but he did not know which way to prevail on me to trust him with the Secret. First of all he sifted me concerning the nature of my Effects, whether they consisted in Money, Houses or Land, which way I was supply'd with Cash from my own Country, and then offer'd to remit me some for a small Charge. He ask'd if I intended to travel always, whether it would not be more for my Advantage to settle in some Place or other, and the like. I answer'd all this in a loose manner, which could not be very satisfactory to him. And when he saw that he could get nothing out of the Master, he address'd himself a second time to the Domestic, and by the Virtue of Promises and a small Present, he made him promise that the first time I went about the Grand Work he would not fail to give him Notice.